In 1914, the Women’s Club of Jamestown dedicated a spring Saturday to taking lessons in the “domestic sciences.” It was not a new topic for them, as they spent the day reviewing the curriculum taught at Jamestown High School. The more experienced women may have passed down their expertise to the younger generation. In 1910, domestic science encompassed topics such as bacteriology for cleanliness, physiology for understanding food and its effects on health, and physics for managing home heating and lighting.
The Jamestown Alert highlighted the importance of a woman’s personal efficiency in running a household. Despite the generation gap between the Women’s Club members and high school students who prepared their meal that day, there was no indication of belittlement towards their skills. It is possible that there were moments where a club member thought about doing things differently but overall, it seemed like they were aiming to pass on their knowledge and efficiency to future homemakers.
For more information, visit www.KeithNormanBooks.com
